The Lost Winchester Chronicles Part 5 - Thicker than Water
by London Frost
Summary: You've read how they met. You've seen how close they've become. You may have also noticed the over-protective nature the Winchesters have for Lex. But what you may not know is why: Destiny. This part of their story is probably the most important, because it sets the stage for years to come... Sam dies, Dean makes a deal, and Lex's destiny is revealed.
1. Chapter 1 - Dreams and Wishes

***Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural or any of the characters or even the plots (though I did add to them with my imagination). However The Fields Family and story arch are my own and if you'd like to use, please let me know. I'd be happy to collaborate!

* * *

 _To my Fans of Supernatural:_

 _So far I've given you snippets of their missing story. Though Lex has appeared numerous (undocumented) times, the stories I have written are the ones most important to their overall stories. You've read how they met. You've discovered Lex's relationship to John. You've seen how they have taken to each other. You may have also noticed the subtle over-protective nature the Winchesters have for Lex. But what you may not know is why. The simple answer - It is their Destiny._

 _This snippet of their story is probably the most important, because it sets the entire stage for years to come... Sam dies, Dean makes a deal, and Lex's destiny is revealed._

 _-Chuck-_

* * *

The world felt cold. It was the kind of cold that gripped at the bone and never let go. Lex wasn't prepared for the sudden temperature drop. Lex was dressed for the mild spring weather of Holyoke Colorado, not New England winter. She hated the cold. But she hated monsters more.

For a couple of weeks now, Lex was on the trail of a monster that drained the blood of its victim. She'd chased the damned thing all around Colorado. Usually, Lex would've jumped on the 'vampire' bandwagon, especially when a person was exsanguinated – but something was very different about the victims. The victims were all complacent, as though they sat back and allowed whatever it was to drain them. Eli was able to do some preliminary work ups before Spring Break was over. He confirmed that all the victims were strung up with needles plugged into their veins. Vampires didn't need needles.

Because of the chase, Lex had little time to do research, but was at least able to come up with a few working theories. There were some demonic rituals that required fresh blood. Changelings drank blood, perhaps they'd gotten creative? Then of course there was Djinn. Lex adjusted the bag on her back full of all the necessary supplies needed to take out any one of the theories.

Lex maneuvered around the worn-down factory door and cautiously made her way inside. The monster had left a trail of bodies. Each victim had been found in an abandon factory, farm-house, or silo and all just a mile or so out of town – just like the building Lex was currently investigating. Each victim appeared to have been a run-a-way in disturbingly good health – just like the girl who went missing only a couple of days ago. Up until now, whatever Lex was tracking was smart enough to go after people that wouldn't be missed. But this time, the girl abducted belonged to a loving family desperate to get her back – hopefully alive. Lex planned to see to that.

Off in the distance, water dripped from pipes, rats scavenged for food, and bats expertly flew overhead. The building creaked with age. Lex fought down a shiver as she pressed deeper into the factory. Rusted machines, long passed dead, blocked her path. Hundreds of old pamphlets littered the floor. Machine parts and tool kits lay awkwardly open. The whole scene looked as if all the workers just left one day and never came back.

A box fell to the floor causing Lex to jump. She darted around to face the noise. Her Glock was up and ready. A shadow whipped by. Lex quickly disguarded her bag and followed, keeping her gun study and her movements noiseless. The shadow appeared on her left, closer. Lex twisted and walked. The shadow appeared on her right. She followed.

All movement ceased.

Lex paused listening to the sounds around her. Crickets, bats, rats… and – Lex spun around and shot as the shadow leaped out from behind a machine. The Shadow pulled her to the ground, landing on top of her with a smile. Her gun popped from her grip. Despite the moonless night and darkened room, Lex was able to make out the beings features. Though his skin was pale – almost blue – and dozens of tattoos scrawled across his face, he still looked human. The being held Lex in place with one hand as the other became enveloped in blue flame. Lex grabbed the demon's wrist with both hands, trying to hold him at bay while she came up with a plan. Any plan would do.

The demon was quickly overpowering her. Lex tried to use her small frame to squirm herself free, but the demon held her in place with ease. Lex rested one elbow on the ground, using it as stability, and locked both her wrists, stopping the flamed hand only inches from her face.

Still holding on to the monster's wrist, Lex brought her left elbow up, cracking the demon in the face. His head pulled to the side. It was just enough for Lex to use his momentum and the floor as leverage to roll him over and land on top of him. Before he could recover, Lex jumped off and grabbed the Glock. She aimed and fired with only a breath of space between his hand and her face.

The being paused and glared at her. "Shit." She barely dodging his touch and ran to her dag pulling out a silver knife and a vial of blood. Lex fumbled with the stopper, trying to open the bottle. The monster's feet pitter-pattered closer. Lex groaned in frustration until she finally gave up and ripped the cork out with her teeth. She dowsed the blade, spun around and stabbed the Djinn deep in the heart.

His flame hand extinguished as his eyes died. His body fell to the floor, lifeless. Lex sucked in several deep breathes of relief. "Silver and lamb's blood, bitch." She said in a huff. Lex stepped over the body – her night wasn't over. She needed to find the girl. Lex readied her weapon again and moved in and around the building. After determining the factory to be empty, Lex put away her weapon. "Andrea!" She bellowed into the broken down building. Animals scattered at the echo but no human replied. "Andrea Simms?" She called out again. "I'm here to help. If you can hear me…" Still nothing.

Lex's heart sank with the silence. Lex scoured the area. She looked for fake doors, basement access – anything hidden away from prying eyes. She spent half an hour looking for the girl or the body, but there was nothing. There was also no sign that a second being was here.

From all the gum-shoe work, she knew there was a partner and she also suspected they knew they were being followed. When they split up in Denver, she knew for sure. Lex followed the one she thought had the girl, but she was wrong.

Lex swore under her breath as she called Sam. "Hey."

/Are you okay?/

"Just peachy." Lex reached behind her head and felt the growing knot. "The partner has the girl."

/You sure?/

"Yeah. She's not here."

/Do you know what we're dealing with?/

Lex went back to the body to get a better look. "Yep."

/You owe me money don't you?/

"Yep."

/I bet you're glad you listen to me about the lamb's blood, aren't you?/

"Yep." Lex growled hearing Sam chuckle into the phone. "Yeah well, we'll see who gets the last laugh, Winchester." She threatened. "Were you two able to find anything?"

/Dean's been driving around where the other victims disappeared. I just talked to him a few minutes ago. He thinks he found something and went to go take a look./

"You didn't go with him? Talk about unusual." Lex hoisted her bag onto her shoulder and walked back to her car. "I'll head over your way and pick you up. Be there in a couple of hours."

* * *

Lex pulled into the motel room shaking her head in annoyance. On so many occasions Lex offered to put them up in a decent hotel, but every time they turned her down. Dean said he liked the run down motel vibe. He said that it made him feel all nostalgic. After the twelfth or thirteenth attempt, Lex gave up and joined their ways when she hunted with them.

After a while, Lex understood Dean's perception, though she would never tell him that.

Another thought hit her – two years. It only just seemed like yesterday when Lex was being tailed by the brothers. Yet, it also seemed like a lifetime ago. In the short time they'd know each other so much had happened. There was the Hell Fire Club, John's death, Dominic, and demonic possessions, not including the random hunts they went on, the midnight wake-ups asking for Lex's computer help. It seemed like every week she was getting a call from them to hack into some computer system, or remove their name from some 'most-wanted' list in some Podunk-town. On more than one occasion the request entailed getting the Impala out of hawk.

Yet, two years was also a long time for hunters to be friends. Hunters were either family or acquaintances. Friendship was a luxury hunters never had. It wasn't because hunters couldn't make friends – no. Hunters were fighting hell's rejects. Hunters didn't want to worry about others when they were already worried about themselves and the victims.

Those who were already in the life, were likely to die in just a few short years. It was hard to make friends with fellow hunters when it was extremely likely you'd see their obituary the following week. Acquaintances were those who hunters respected but wouldn't their death wouldn't interrupt the day to day life of a hunter. Hunters only let the people they trusted like family into their lives. These were the people they were willing to fight to save or die to protect.

Besides Eli, Sam and Dean were such people to Lex. And though they never said it aloud, she suspected the feeling was mutual – at least for Sam.

Lex brush the thought aside and got out of the car bringing a change of clothes with her. She could use a shower. Lex was covered in rust and dirt, and smelled like used oil. She knocked on the door once, waited, three times, waiting and then once more. The door opened, revealing a very concerned Sam.

"What's wrong?"

"I tried to call Dean, but his phone is dead. He should've been back already."

"Address?" Sam handed her a paper with GPS coordinates as they raced to her car.

Fifteen minutes later, the two hunters were pulling down a long windy road full of pot-holes and water-run-off rivers. Every time the car hit a hole, Lex cringed. Unlike Dean, Lex was not good with cars and the thought of how much it would cost to fix a radiator gasket or god even a timing belt…

"This is where his phone was last active."

"And there's the Impala." The two looked up at an abandon factory out in the middle of nowhere. The roof was caving in. Every window was cracked or entirely broken. A busted chain link fence was all that stood between dangerous monsters and the rest of the world. "Fan-freaking-tastic." Sam shot Lex a curious look. "Next time, I get to pick what we do for 'date-night'."

Sam smiled as a slight shade of red spread across his cheeks. "Fair enough. We need to split up to cover more ground." In the same breath, Sam tossed over tub of blood. "Just in case you're out."

Lex snatched it out of the air. "So considerate."

"Better than flowers, would you say?"

Sam disappeared off to the left. Lex took the right and sighed. The building was much like the one she was in earlier. Unlike the machinery surrounding her before, this place was covered in plastic wrap. No matter where she turned, she found herself brushing against the stuff and making an overabundant amount of noise. Lex felt like she was a thief trying to do backflips through a laser filled art gallery – except she wasn't one for flips and this wasn't an art gallery.

Lex went around another corner and found herself in a room full of fallen doors and chained up windows. The hallway was surrounded by over a dozen caged lockers, filled with empty boxes and long forgotten treasures.

A sound caught Lex's attention. She turned toward one of the lockers. Something caused the door to move. Cautiously, Lex walked toward the opening. Hands pressed against her back, pushing her into the cage. She fell forward, bracing her fall on a crate. Lex spun around to see a Djinn. "Where are they?"

The Djinn said nothing. Lex raced forward thrusting the knife ahead. The Djinn dodged to the right. Lex caught the cage door. When it didn't move, Lex realized the Djinn had locked them in. He held up the key.

"Seriously?"

The Djinn winked tucking the key into his pocket.

"Son of a bitch!" Lex growled. "I freaking hate cages." She punched the door in frustration before turning to the monster. "You're seriously going to regret this decision."

"I doubt it."

"Oh, so you can talk! And here I was thinking you were all mute."

The Djinn, apparently, wasn't interested in playing a quick game of word pong because he was attacking Lex the moment the words left her lips. Lex ducked just as the Djinn reached her and grabbed the beast's feet causing him to fall forward. Using his momentum, Lex ripped his feet up and over her back. His body crashed to the ground. Lex pogoed up and to the other side of the cage, bring the knife up to the ready.

With the Djinn on the move, Lex thrusted forward trying to catch him off guard. The Djinn expertly made his way around the blade catching her wrist and pulling it back in the process. Lex let out a groan and reluctantly dropped the knife. The Djinn pulled at her arm and directed her toward the cage, head first. Lex barely turned in time before the chain link caught her face and ripped at her skin.

The Djinn released his grip and went for the knife. The next minute he was throwing a flurry of jabs and kicks. Lex did her best to pay attention to knife in his hand as he swung and kicked. One kick pulled her attention away just enough for the Djinn to find the needed opening. Lex moved to the right only just enough to stop the demon from getting a direct hit.

The knife was sharp. It sliced into her shoulder like butter. She let out a scream, but the Djinn just continued his assault – not letting up. Lex did what she could to evade the attacks, while trying to get at the knife. Everything happened within milliseconds of each other. She was able to pull it loose, just as the demon came close. His right hand and eyes were glowing blue. He hand was reaching toward her face. He was close enough for her to thrust the blade deep into Djinn's bowels and guts.

His body went still as the blue died into nothingness.

Lex pulled the dagger free and reached into the Djinn's pocket for the key. Since the night with the Hell Club, Lex started having a rather odd fear of cages. The idea that she was locked up, unable to get free, caused nervous shivers to cover her body and cloud her mind. With methodical breathing and adrenaline, she'd been able to keep her anxiety in check. But now she wanted out.

It took her several long excruciating seconds to find the keyhole – outside the cage, and unlock the door. Down the way Lex heard Dean's voice. The girl was alive. _Andrea Simms_. Lex raced down the way, following the noise before coming around the corner to see Dean pulling the girl to his chest.

When Dean saw Lex at the doorway – he paused. She was expecting some kind of wistful remark or snide comment, but all she got was a meaningful stare. Sam cleared his throat pulling Dean's attention. "We need to get her to a hospital."

"I'll take her. You two shouldn't be seen in public – 'specially…"

Dean agreed following Sam out the door and to their cars. Lex muddled with the key-fob for a second before the doors clicked open. Dean put the girl into the back. "You'll be okay. I promise." Dean closed the door as Lex got into the driver's seat. The brothers came around. "Call us the moment you know anything." Dean begged.

"Abos…"

Sam reached into the car pulling Lex's leather jacket away from her shoulder. "What happened?"

"Apparently there was a third Djinn. Look, I'll call you two when I know something. Destroy the evidence." Lex pulled away with speed leaving the brothers in the dust. She pulled out her GPS and fumbled with the electronic buttons until she found the closest hospital – ten minutes away. "Stay with me Andrea. Stay with me." She begged. "Ten minutes!"

Lex continued to reassure the woman until she pulled into Emergency Room entrance. Lex ran out of her car and into the bowels of the hospital. "Please! I need help!" She screamed. A younger nurse ran to her side. "A girl – Andrea Simms." Lex reached into her back pants pocket and pulled out her Private Investigator's license - it was real. Unlike most other hunter's who pretended to be FBI or some other government agency, Lex found being a P.I. far more useful and far less dangerous. "I was hired to find her." The nurse looked at Lex and then at the blood dripping from her finger tips. "I'll be fine! Andrea needs your help!"

"Take me to her." The nurse pulled two orderlies to follow with a gurney.

Within a few minutes, the girl was out of the car, pumped with fluids, and being taken to ICU. Lex tried to follow but was forced to stay in the waiting room. Another nurse, a younger one with blonde hair, came over to and asked to take a look at Lex's wound. Hesitantly, Lex obliged. "This needs to be cleaned and stitched."

"But, Andrea…"

"She's being taken care of. It's your turn." Lex reluctantly followed the woman to one of the beds and relieved herself of her jacket. "Can you tell me what happened?"

"The girl was abducted."

The nurse cleaned the wound and put a small dab of local-anesthetic before stitching. "This isn't you're first time getting stabbed is it?" The nurse asked pointing to several other scars along her arm and back. Many were white and faded but some were new.

"It's part of the job."

Two police officers came into the room just as the nurse was finishing up. "Ms. Fields? Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?"

"Of course not."

Lex did her best to tell the police enough to make her sound authentic and the story creditable while keeping the reality of the situation at bay. She told them she was hired to find Andrea after she went missing. She heard about other people who'd been abducted in the area and decided to investigate. She found an abandon factory with several lights on and went to inspect. There she found Andrea, strung up. She went to save the woman when she was attacked by an assailant. She and the assailant fought. Once the man was disarmed he fled. When the police asked for an address, she gave them the factory's information, knowing full well Sam and Dean would make sure nothing was left to point back to them, her, or the truth. When the police asked about the large amount of blood loss, Lex explained that it appeared as if Andrea was abducted by some kind of demonic occultist – or at least it seemed so with all the 'voodoo, hex, pentagram' things on the walls. It was the closest thing to the truth that she could think of.

The cops accepted her story and thanked her for her services. They said they would inform the family once they knew more. They took her information in case other questions came up and left. Lex went back out to the lobby and asked the nurse if anything changed.

"It looks like the girl will pull through. You saved her just in time. Another hour or so…"

 _One for Dean …_ Lex thought. "I'm glad. Thank you."

Lex pulled out her phone and dialed Sam.


	2. Chapter 2 - Family Bonds

After dosing the entire building in gas and setting it on fire. The Winchester brothers made their grand escape back to their motel room. It's been almost an hour before Sam's phone rang. "Okay," he paused. "Thank you so much for the update." Sam paused again with a head nod. "Okay. Bye." Sam hung up the phone and threw it onto the bed. "That was Lex…"

 _(Chuck Commentary:_

 _I want to make it known that this was the first time I changed the events of the Winchester's tale – despite how minor - to protect Alexius Field's identity. You need to understand that up until this point, I'd been able to write around Lex's involvement but this was one of the few times in which I had to remove her entirely to protect her but keep the integrity of events … - Chuck)_

"… The girl's been stabilized. Good chance she's gonna pull through."

"That's good."

"How about you? You all right," Sam asked sitting down next to Dean.

It took a few seconds and a throat clear before Dean could answer. "Yeah, I'm all right." He paused trying to gather his thoughts. "You should've seen it, Sam. Our lives. You were such a pussy."

Sam let out a soft chuckle, "so we didn't get along then, huh?"

"Nah." Dean said taking another swig of his beer.

"Yeah…" Sam considered his words for a moment. "I thought it was supposed to… to be this perfect fantasy…" he asked.

"It wasn't." Dean said with newfound confidence. "It was just a wish. I wished for Mom to live. That Mom never died, we never went hunting and you and me… just never… uh…. You know."

"Yeah, well I'm glad we do. And I am glad you dug yourself out, Dean. Most people wouldn't have had the strength… would've just stayed…"

Dean's face lit up in false delight. "Yeah. Lucky me." He said sarcastically dropping his head in despair. "I gotta tell you though… man. You know, you had Jess. Mom was gonna have grandkids…"

"Yeah, but Dean… it wasn't real."

"I know!" Dean confirmed. "But, I wanted to stay." He said clinching his fists. This was the first time in a long time Dean felt lost, felt like the path he and Sam walked was the wrong one. "I wanted to stay so bad. I mean ever since Dad… all I c..." His voice shook with apprehension. "All I can think about is how much this job's cost us." The memories of the people lost ran through his head. He could see Mom standing at the sink waiting for a four year old Dean to come help dry. He could see the love in his Dad's eyes as he said good-byes. Even hunters and people they barely knew played a cameo in his memory. For a brief second, Dean's recollection pulled out a picture of Lex and her older brother Leon – another hunter lost to the job. He wasn't just talking about himself and Sam – he was speaking on behalf of all hunters. "We've lost so much. We've… scarified so much."

"But people are alive because of you." Dean scoffed at the thought. "It's worth it, Dean. It is. It's not fair. And… ya know… it hurts like hell, but it's worth it."

Dean shot Sam a pensive look. Little did Sam know how true his words rang. It was because of the lives they saved that Dean was able to pull himself out. The plane crash, the death of the girl in the pool, and Lex. "Yeah…" he finally said drinking down the last of his alcohol.

After several long moments of silence, Sam finally spoke up. "You gonna be okay? Lex should be here shortly. I'm going to take a shower."

"Yeah, go."

Just as soon as the shower turned on, Dean noticed headlights pull into the motel parking lot. Dean knew his cars. Rather than waiting for the special knock, he went out to help Lex.

Lex groaned out in pain trying to lift her duffle bag with her bad arm, which happened to be her dominate one. Dean was there almost immediately to relieve her of it. "I got it." Lex went to say something only to see Dean's pleading eyes looking back at her. "Please."

"Okay."

"Are you okay?"

"As long as the lamb's blood doesn't have some crazy mutant genetic defect, like rabies, and turns me into a zombie…" She noticed the incredulous stare. "Kidding. So the Bro-Mo went that well?"

"Bro-Mo?"

"Yeah, you know. The Brother Moment. It's when you two undergo intense bonding after a long night of hunting and/or soul searching." Lex smiled. "Don't give me that look. Every hunt I've been on with you two ends exactly like that. It's almost like you two have a contractual script or something. You know, I actually wait a few minutes before knocking just to make sure I'm not interrupting." Lex shook her head. "I mean seriously, if you two were T.V. show characters there would be dozens of Fan-Fics with you two as…"

Dean looked as though he had just been accosted. "We're brothers!"

"And I've read enough Fan-Fics to know just how cruel and disturbing fans can be."

The somber Dean finally cracked a smile before breaking out into a joyful laugh. Lex crinkled her brow in confusion. Before she could question him, Dean dropped her bag and hugged her with tears in his eyes. Lex felt her heart jolt to life, if only for a minute. Then she noticed the tears… "Are those happy…"

"You were dead." He said finally letting go.

"What?"

Dean told her what happened, what the Djinn did to him, and that he wanted to stay but… "You were dead."

"Your perfect world."

"Except, you were dead."

"So, what – your world wasn't perfect because I wasn't in it?"

"Yes." The answer took Lex by surprise. "It happened when you were twelve. A house fire." Dean sighed. "Dad never saved you, but you didn't give up Lexi. You never said yes to him." Lex caught the admiration and the pet name. _Lexi_ was reserved for those important to her. It wasn't a name tossed around lightly, and never before by Dean. "You never said yes and Yellow Eyes killed you because of it."

"So what, Dean? You had your mom. Sam was happy and with Jess …" Lex couldn't help but feel the tug of jealousy in her voice, _how come it hadn't been her with Sam?_ But then she already knew the answer - in that reality the three of them never met.

"I already answered that, Lexi."

"Dean, I…"

"You don't get it. Your death was wrong… on so many levels." Dean finally blurted out. "God damn it, you're family." Lex's body tensed. "I know I've never said it before, but it's true. I've been pushing you away. God, I've done everything in my power to keep you at arm's length. But I can't. I won't do it anymore." Dean promised. "You're just as important to me as Sammy. I didn't realize it until I saw your obituary. It felt like I was reading Sam's." Dean ran his hands down his chin. "I realized how much you meant to me, to Sammy. You've risked your life to help us over and over again. You're the first person we call to help us out of a jam – besides Bobby – and you're the only person who knows everything about us. Hell, even more than Bobby. If that isn't family, then I don't know what is."

"Dean…" Lex started, but uncertainty took hold. Dean was showing her emotion, raw unwavering emotion. How was she supposed to respond? "Besides Eli, you two are all I have."

Before another word was said, Dean pulled Lex in for another hug. "Had you been there, in that dream world, I don't think I would've had a reason to break free."

"I doubt I was your only reason, but I'm glad you did." Lex's pocket vibrated. Reluctantly, Dean pulled away. "It's Ash."

"You two have been spending a lot of time together. Is there something I should know?" Dean had the concerned 'big brother' tone down to perfection.

The red-head glared at him as she answered the phone. "Yeah."

/Can you come to the bar?/

"Right now?"

/I think I found something. Something big. But I don't want to say anything before you've had a chance to look at it./

"Alright." Lex looked at her watch. Four A.M. She hadn't realized it was so early – or late. "If I leave now I should be there around mid-afternoon." Lex hung up and reached for her duffle. "No sleep for the wicked…"

Dean pulled the bag from her reach. "It's rest – _no rest for the wicked_ and you're not going anywhere."

"Dean, this is about Yellow Eyes and the…"

"I don't care." Dean argued. "We both know you haven't slept in over forty-eight hours. Whatever it is, it can wait. We all need a good night's sleep. So you're staying."

Lex never heard Dean beg like that. The request played on the feelings she had towards the brothers, feelings she not yet fully understood. With a nod, she picked up her phone and told Ash she would need a day. Dean silently thanked her, as he picked up her duffle bag and made for the motel room with Lex at his back.

* * *

The three sat around the T.V. watching football re-runs of seasons long passed and played moneyless poker. As cards were dealt and balls were fumbled, the trio laughed and joked about endeavors gone wrong. Dean told stories about hunting with John. Sam laughed about times when he was young. And Lex revealed parts of her childhood never spoke a loud.

Drinks were passed, histories were shared, and a moment was created.

Though none of them knew it – this moment would become one of the most power weapons in their arsenal against their destinies and the darkness.

* * *

Reluctantly, Lex awoke to the sound of her alarm. It was ten P.M. After all the merriment and fun, she was hard-pressed to leave. But she needed to. The pullout couch creaked under her weight despite her attempts to be quiet. Sam rolled over but seemed to still be asleeping. Dean didn't budge. Quietly, Lex gathered her things. She wrote a small note on the table, thanking the brothers for a good night and left.

Lex stopped off to fill her tank at the nearest gas station. She grabbed the largest cup of coffee she could obtain, times two, and a large calorie filled gas station muffin. With ten hours of driving ahead of her, Lex needed all the energy she could get.

Only a couple of years ago, Lex could be found boarding a plane, but after hearing Sam and Dean's airplane adventure, and learning about other planes that crashed over the years because of demonic involvement – Lex decided road-tripping it was a far better option. Longer yes, but way better.

Hours one and two were easy. Hour three and four required a bathroom break, a coffee stop, and a leg stretch. After hour five, Lex's iPod restarted from shuffle song one so Lex decided it was time to catch up with Eli. She spent an hour talking with him about the Djinn, Dean's wish, and her current trek back to Ash. For the sake of her ear, she left out the part where she got stabbed with her own knife covered in lamb blood. Eli filled her in on classes, mid-terms, and grades. He also told her about the ghost haunting the campus and that he was in the middle of staking out. When something caught his attention, he ended the call with a rushed good-bye.

With only two hours left to go, Ash called. She was expecting to get an earful regarding her lack of time management and considered not answering, but that would've just made it worse. "I'm on the road, I promise."

/Where are you?/ He whispered.

"Couple of hours out. Why are you whispering?"

/Don't come here./

"Ash?"

/Something's going on./ Ash paused giving Lex a severe case of concern. /I don't know what… Lex. Just don't come here. I'll call you back when it's safe./

"Ash… wait…" The phone died.

Lex went to hit re-dial when it started to ring again – Dean. "What's going on?"

/Sam's missing./

"What?" Lex bellowed as she slammed on her breaks and pulled off the road. "What did you just say? What do you mean... missing?"

/He went to go get some grub at a local 24 hour joint. Suddenly the electronics go all screwy and the next minute he's gone and everyone in the diner is dead. I called Ash. I asked him to look into it. Bobby and I are going to meet up half way to figure out what the hell is going on./

"Maybe that's why Ask told me not to come over. He just called, said don't show then hung up." Lex swore under her breath. Things were getting seriously. "I'm heading over to The Road House. I'll call you once I know more."

/Didn't Ash tell you not to?/

"When have you ever known me to listen?"

/Fair enough. Let me know if you find anything./

Lex pulled back onto the road and sped down the highway. After only another couple of hours on the road, Lex finally pulled into the Road House. She walked in to see the bar unusually full, especially for this early in the morning. She suspected most of the hunters here were just finishing their night job. Lex nodded a couple of simple hello before Ash noticed her.

"What are you doing here?"

Before she could response, Ash was pulling her out of the back door of the bar. "Coming to check on you…" Lex freed herself from his grasp. "What the hell!"

"It isn't safe. You need to leave."

"The hell with that, I'm staying right here…"

"Please Lexi." Ash begged. "I think what I found is serious, like end of the world serious. It isn't safe for you here."

"But it's safe for Dean?" Lex remarked. Just before she got to the bar, Dean called letting her know Ash asked him to stop by and he'd be there in a few.

"Sam's missing..."

"Yeah. I got the memo. I'm here, so fill me in."

"I think it's related." Before another word exchanged between them, Ash pulled Lex into a passionate kiss. "I've always wanted to do that."

"Ash…"

"Meet me in the basement. There's a tornado bunker out back- and a safe." Ash pushed the unwilling Lex out the door. Just as her last limb crossed the threshold, every door, every window, every exit slammed shut locking everyone inside. Lex grabbed the knob trying to force open the door. Then she saw Yellow Eyes. She screamed at Ash to look behind as she threw herself at the door, over and over again. It wouldn't budge. "Oh my God… No! Please! No! Leave him alone!" She screamed thrashing at the barricade. "Please, no!"

The eyes disappeared replaced by a growing mound of flame. "Ash! No! God Damn it! Ash!" Her screams became muffled by the cries for help and the crackle of the fire consuming The Road House. Lex tried to break the glass with her elbow, but magic held it in place. Tears ran down her cheek in droves as she saw people running and screaming. Some were on fire; others were coughing up smoke, all of them were doomed to die at the hands of Yellow Eyes – and there was nothing she could do about it.

Lex grasped the handle trying with all her might to break down the door. The handle burned into her flesh and fire bellowed out of the crack under the egress, but she didn't care. "No!" She cried throwing her weight at the door. "No! Why!"

She felt hands around her waist pulling her away from the porch and down onto the ground. "It's useless!" The voice cracked. "Lex…" She turned around to see Yellow Eyes, staring at her with a smile. Out of pure anger, Lex pulled a blade from her back pocket and attacked. She was too slow. The demon stopped her and her attack with nothing but an eye stare. _Damn demonic power..._

"Why!"

"He had information – information that he was planning to share with the class, information that I am not ready for you or the others to discover."

"God damn it!" Lex screamed. "What more do want from me? You killed my family. You've taken everyone I've ever cared about away. What more could you possibly want?"

"Now, now - this isn't about you. Right now this is just about Sam - and Sam only. Besides, we both know that isn't true." Azazel said with glee. "You still have Elijah – and the Winchester brothers. Especially, Sam. Though, I see you've been cozying up to Dean too. I guess their right about history and the whole doomed to repeat, but I have counter measures in place."

"What are you talking about?"

"In due time my dear. For now, this is the last place you should be." The next minute Azazel was only inches from her face. He placed a single finger on her forehead causing her to black out.


	3. Chapter 3 - Demons, Deals and Death

After getting a cryptic call from Ash, Dean and Bobby made a bee-line to The Road House. Part of Dean wanted to disregard Ash; after all, Lex was there. Surely whatever Ash had to tell him could be delivered through Lex? Dean called her just before leaving to see if it would be worth his time which needed to be spent looking for Sam. When Lex told him she was still driving, Dean decided it was better just to make the trip and get this all taken care of. He also could hear the annoyance in Lex's voice – Ash made it very clear she didn't need to come, but then calls Dean and demands he does? Dean had no interest being put into the middle.

Dean sped down the road coming upon The Road House – or what was left.

"What the hell…" Dean said getting out of the car. Disbelief plagued Dean's voice. There was no way this was The Road House. No, this couldn't be the Road House.

"Oh my god…" Bobby's voice mimicked Dean's.

The two cautiously walked through the wreckage, trying to avoid anything that looked human while searching for people they knew. "Do you see Ellen?"

"No! No Ash, either."

Dean kicked a piece of smoldering wood with his steel-toed boot in frustration, when a glisten of something caught his eye. Dean knelt down and realized it was the trademark watch of Ash. With shaky fingers, Dean pulled on it – hoping beyond all hope it just fell off in the chaos of the fire. To Dean's dismay, it was still attached. Dean chocked down his anger. "Ah Ash… Damn it." Then it hit him. "Lex!" Dean dug for his phone in haste, and dialed. It rang several times before it went to voice mail. "Son of a bitch!" Dean screamed.

Bobby looked around in horror. "This is…"

"What the hell did Ash know?" Dean kicked another piece of wood in anger. "We've got no way of knowing where Ellen is. Or if she's even alive! We've got no clue what Ash was gonna tell us. Now, how in the hell are we going to find Sam?"

"We'll find him…"

Pain – the worst pain Dean ever felt crash into his skull. The hunter gripped his head, barely holding on to consciousness. He barely heard the older hunter call out. Then the pain was gone – but not before showing him something, an image.

"Dean!" Bobby yelled. Dean sucked in several deep breaths letting Bobby know he was back. "What was that?"

Dean welcomed the reprieve, using the Impala as stability. "I don't know. A headache?"

"You get headaches like that a lot?"

"No… must be the stress." The joke was lost. "I could've sworn I saw something."

"What do you mean? Like a vision? Like what Sam gets?"

"What! No!" Dean said defensively, but the realization wasn't lost on him.

"I'm just saying."

"Come on! I'm not a psychic." Dean declared, more to convince himself than his hunter counterpart. But the conviction of his words lasted only mere seconds as another bout of pain shot into his head. The pain was so intense; it caused him to collapse into the Impala. Another image popped into his head. Sam.

Bobby was at Dean's side trying to help him up. "Dean! Dean! Are you still with me?"

"Yeah… I think so." His head was still pounding. "I saw Sam. I saw him, Bobby."

"What else did you see?"

"Uh…" Dean closed his eyes trying to remember. "There was a bell."

"What kind of bell?"

Dean growled in annoyance. The pain has been almost depilating. How in the hell was he supposed to remember? "Like a big bell… with some kind of engraving on it… I don't know!"

"Engraving?"

"Yeah!"

"Was it a tree?" Bobby hesitated. "Like, an oak tree?"

"Yeah, exactly."

"I know where Sam is."

"Care to share with the class?"

"Cold Oak, South Dakota."

Dean knew that name. "Wait… like the town so full of demonic activity, everyone up and moved – like that town."

"That very one."

Dean swore as he dialed Lex's number, again. If this was as bad as he knew it would be, he would need Lex's help. The phone just rang. "Damn it."

"Look, I like Lex. She's one hell of a …"

Dean pulled at Bobby's shirt bringing him inches away from Dean's face. "She's Family Bobby, so don't even say it. She's alive."

Up until that moment, Bobby hadn't realized how important the girl was to the Winchesters. "What makes you so sure?"

"Remember the protection order I told you about – the one Yellow Eyes has on her?"

"What the hell does that mean anyway?"

Dean took in the burnt building. "It means there's no way in hell a demon burned this place down with Lex still inside."

"I hope you're right."

"I am right." Dean said, trying Lex for a third time. "I'm more worried that he took her too."

"Shit… Sam and now Lex?"

"We need to get moving."

* * *

Fire. It was consuming everything. She could hear Ash calling out to her. She could smell – oh the smell. She tried to reach for the door but it wouldn't open. Other voices came to her from the smoke. She wanted to save everyone but she couldn't. Another sound pulled her attention – _Wayward Son_ by Kansas. That was Sam and Dean's ringtone… Then she saw Yellow Eyes…

Lex's eyes sprang open as a bout of adrenaline surged through her. The last thing she remembered was the fire… and Azazel. Now she was in her car, and to her dismay - it was well into the evening. She checked her phone – she didn't carry a watch – and saw that Dean Winchester had called her over a dozen times. Obviously he was worried, the last thing he knew she was at The Road House – just before the fire.

Quickly, she dialed Dean as she turned over her car. The phone didn't even finish its first ring. /You better not hurt her you son of a bitch…/

"I didn't realize you cared so much."

/Jesus Christ! I've been calling…/

"I know, I was there when… Yellow Eyes, he said Ash knew things he wasn't ready for us to know. One minute I was about to stab him the next I'm in my car out in the middle of nowhere - ten hours later." Lex felt the pain of her burned hand telling her it was real. The Road House… "Ash, he… he was there. He… and the other hunters…"

/We saw the aftermath. Do you know if Ellen was there?/

Lex shook her head as if Dean could see it. "I don't. The moment I got there Ash ushered me out the back and then…"

A moment of silence passed between them to honor the fallen. /It's a long story, but we know where Sam is. Bobby and I are headed there now. Do you think you can meet us?/

"Where's there?"

/You're not gonna like it. Cold Oak South Dakota./

"The Ghost Town? You're right. I'm not." Lex pulled up her GPS and input the coordinates only to find out where she was. "I can be there in a couple of hours. Yellows Eyes parked me in Lost Springs, Wyoming – and no the irony isn't lost on me."

/We're squatting in a house right off route 79. I'll text you the information. Meet us there./

"Dean…"

/I can't wait Lexi. Sam's being held prisoner. Besides, Bobby and I are already here./

"I'll see you at the house in a couple of hours – Both of you need to come home."

* * *

The drive was killing her. Right after they hung up, Dean sent over the address. With cow-crossings, tractors driving on the road – both sides –, and a car accident, it took longer than she expected to get to the house. To make matters worse, Lex never heard from Dean. She had no idea whether Sam was alive or hell – if any of them made it out. Knowing that Yellow Eyes was involved, as well as the psychic children, there was no way to know what would happen.

Despite her growing concerns, Lex refrained from calling just in case they were in the middle of something. To try and keep her mind occupied, Lex blared music, called Eli (who was probably sound asleep because he didn't answer) and tried to listen to a book on tape. Nothing worked.

By the time Lex finally got to the house, which was more run down than it was standing, the sun was already up. Just before she pulled down the driveway, she noticed Bobby's rusted old car pulling out. A wave of concern crashed through her. Part of her knew there was a reasonable explanation. Bobby could be going to get food or meeting up with another hunter or… a number of different things. Yet, the feeling wouldn't go away.

Lex pulled next to the Impala and ran into the house. Dean looked at her, despair in his eyes. She could see the tears. "Dean…" She edged forward. Tears began to form before she even knew why. "Dean… what's…" She already knew the answer. "Where's… Sam…" Before he could answer, Lex raced around the corner to see a sleeping Sam. But he wasn't sleeping. Sam wasn't moving. That was impossible. He was Sam. He was a hunter. He had been shot – more than once. He had fallen out of buildings. He'd killed vampires and demons. He had been in a car crash. He was a survivor. He was – everything. Fear, rage, anger, loss, - an array of emotions struck within milliseconds. "No…"

"Lex…"

"No!" Lex tried to run to him but Dean was already holding her in place "No! SAM! SAM!" She screamed, trying so desperately to get to his side. Tears ran down her face in droves. "Sam!" She cried, fighting Dean's steel grip. "No! Let me go!"

"Lexi - stop."

Lex twisted around in Dean's grasp and began to smash Dean's chest with her fists as more tears fell. "You were supposed to protect him! It was your job to keep him safe!" She screamed, pounding even harder. Dean fell into the wall taking every hit without recourse, while keeping ahold of Lex. "You're his god-damned brother!" Her punches became weaker, until all the strength she had evaporated from her body. Her knees buckled. Dean pulled her into an embrace as they fell to the ground and cried.

For several long hours, they sat on the floor of the broken down home. Bird sang. Squirrels played. Crickets chirped. Day became night. Life outside the dilapidated home continued. Inside, everything stopped. Dean and Lex just sat there, tears in their eyes, unsure of what to do next.

Dean had spent his entire life protecting Sam; after all, it was his job. He was the older brother. Seeing the corpse of Sam was a reminder of how Dean failed. And seeing Lex… Dean knew how much they meant to each other. Part of him wondered if their sudden feelings happened because of the bond they shared over Yellow Eyes. But seeing the strong and courageous Alexius Fields turn into a puddle told him everything he needed to know.

Dean knew what he had to do, and all the necessary ingredients were in the back of the Impala.

Lex sucked in a hiccupped breath and wiped the tears from her eyes. "He's going to pay."

"He will."

There must have been something in his voice, because Lex glared at him. "Don't do it Dean."

The girl was always quick to the draw. "This isn't up for discussion." Dean pulled away from the girl and stood. Lex caught his hand to stop him. "Let me go."

"Do you realize what I've lost today? My best friend – by the way I got to watch him burn alive. I lost one of two men I love as if they were my own god-damned blood." Lex pointed to Sam. "I refuse to lose the other."

"I can't just sit here and do nothing. Besides, I'll get ten years."

Lex let out a sarcastic laugh. "John didn't even get ten minutes."

"Exactly – I shouldn't even be alive! The least I can do is give Sam another chance. God damn it, Lex, him being here is my fault! I'm the one who pulled him out of college to find Dad. I'm the reason he's here at all. This is my fault."

"Yellow Eyes had his claws into Sam long before you showed up at his school. Regardless of what you did, this was still exactly how it was supposed to turn out – hell it could've been worse!" Lex tried to reason with the older Winchester, only to see how futile it was. "You Winchesters are martyrs! You're all just willing to die for each other."

"And you…" The words escaped before Dean even realized he spoke.

"The demon was right! You know the one. Meg said that you were so afraid to be alone that you'd let other people die rather than let Sam go."

"Just promise me, when I'm gone… you'll take care of him. He'll need you more than he ever has before."

"Did you hear a damned word I just said?" More tears sprang to her eyes. "Dean…"

He laid his hand on her cheek. "Promise me."

"Of course."

Dean kissed her on the forehead and left.

Lex took one more look at Sam's body before staking her claim on the porch. She couldn't be in there. She wasn't sure if Sam could be revived, but she didn't want to be the one to explain. Though, she knew she might. If Dean didn't come back…

* * *

It could have been ten minutes or ten hours. Regardless of the time, it seemed like forever before the hum of the engine caught her attention. Lex raced to her feet and down the path to meet Dean as he skidded into the driveway. He seemed, anxious but excited – almost happy. "Dean…"

"Is he…"

"I don't know." The idea of seeing a dead-man come back to life almost scared her. Then of course knowing that Dean would soon… "How long?"

Dean swallowed down his guilt. "One year."

"One… Dean!"

"And there's no renege – or Sam drops dead."

"Son of a…"

"Go."

"What?"

"I don't want Sam to know you had anything to do with this. I don't want him to know you were even here. If he finds out you knew… Go to Bobby's. We'll meet you there."

When Dean found out Lex knew what John was planning, a fight ensued. In fact, it was the first time Dean almost got knocked out by a girl. After that, Dean learned that Lex tried to save John- that she begged - even tossed her soul into the mix… But Lex was right – the Winchesters were Martyrs. If Sam knew Lex was involved in any capacity, it would destroy one of the few good things that came out of Sam becoming a hunter again.

Lex didn't argue. "Okay…"

Once she was gone, Dean ran into the house to find his dead brother, alive.


	4. Chapter 4 - Trapping the Devil

Pulling into Bobby's junk yard of cars brought back memories of long times past. Lex turned off the engine and waited – for what? She could only guess. Perhaps she didn't want to face any one. Perhaps she didn't want to be bombarded with questions. Perhaps she just didn't want to deal with the current reality of it all. There was a small overwhelming desire to drive home, crawl into her own bed, and cry herself to sleep. Thinking about home make her think about Eli…

All this time and Lex never called Eli. He would be worried sick! "Hey kiddo."

/What's wrong?/

"What do you mean?"

/You don't 'kiddo' me unless something's seriously screwed and you really don't want me to know./

"You're right." Lex gathered her wits before she told Eli what happened. Everything. Including the previously omitted 'lamb-blood covered knife and stitches' detail. She even told him about Sam's death and Dean's deal with the devil.

/I can be on the next flight out./

"I don't know what we're going to do next. Once we have a direction I'll call you and let you know where to meet us."

/Seriously?/

"Yes. We have no way of knowing what we're up against. It's sort of an all-hands-on-deck situation."

/Just say when and where./

Lex ended the call and waved at Bobby, who was looking out the window for a third time. With a sigh, a bout of fear, and failing courage, Lex got out of the car and knocked on Bobby's door. He was very far from happy to see her. "He kick you out too?"

"He told me to leave. Said to come here."

"Did he happen to mention if he'd be following?" Lex shrugged. "Obviously, you know about Sam. I saw you coming when I left." Lex nodded. "You okay?"

"Honestly… no. I was there Bobby. I saw Ash…and then Sam…"

"What about Ellen? Was she there?"

"I never saw her, but that really doesn't mean much. I was inside for about a minute before Ash escorted me out of the bar, and then…"

Bobby sat down at his otherwise lore and booze filled desk. Lex sat on the couch off to the left. The hunter pulled out a couple of large shots glasses and filled them with whiskey. He offered one to Lex and took the other. "To Sam."

"And Ash…"

"And all the other hunters lost in the fire."

The two hunters finished their shots in a single gulp. Bobby poured another. The two hunters rarely spent much time alone. Bobby was somewhat of a legend to Lex. She knew of stories from long ago. John used to talk about him all the time. To Lex, he was just simple. He knew his lore. He knew his demons, but the man was simple. She kind of admired it too.

And unlike Sam and Dean, who saw Bobby as a second father, Lex just saw him as a hunter she greatly respected. Granted, this was the first time either of them were alone together bonding over death as hunters were so prone to do.

After almost an hour, a knock echoed through the mostly deserted home. Lex knew who it was and if everything went as it was supposed to, Bobby was about to get one hell of a surprise. Bobby swallowed the last drop of liquor and walked to the door. Dean's voice reverberated through the house. "Hey Bobby…"

"Hey Bobby…" Lex's heart shuttered as she rose from her seat hearing that voice. It worked.

"Sam…" Bobby's voice was hard, concerned. "It's good to see you…. Up and around." His voice got just a little harder.

"Yeah, thanks for patching me up." He said patting the man on his shoulder.

"Don't mention it." His voice dropped another tone lower in anger.

Dean shifted under his deadly stare. "Well… Sam's better. And… we're back in it now. So… what do you know?" His voice shook like a little kid who just got caught with his hands in the cookie jar.

Lex rounded the corner with tears in her eyes. Sam was alive. Sam was fine. Dean did it. He really did do it. "Sam…" She didn't wait for a response. Her hands were about his neck; her face buried in his shoulder. He held her close, picking her up off her feet as his hand wrapped about her waist. "I thought… we lost you."

"Not yet."

Lex and Dean exchanged quick glances as Sam put her down. "Were you able to find anything?"

Lex quickly turned away, afraid that any look would give everything away. In an attempt to keep the truth to herself, and to avoid any looks thrown her way, Lex went into the kitchen to make herself busy with the dishes in the sink. She had to do something to keep herself occupied. Besides, she could see hear the conversation and wouldn't be the target of questioning stares. It was a win-win.

Bobby rounded his desk. "Well, I found something. But I'm not sure what the hell it means."

"What is it?"

"Demonic omens. Like a freakin' tidal wave. Cattle deaths. Lightning storms. They skyrocketed from out of nowhere. Here." Bobby pointed to the state of Wyoming. "All around here, except for one place. Southern Wyoming."

Lex's ears perked up. Southern Wyoming? Yellow Eyes dropped her in Southern Wyoming.

"Wyoming?" Dean and Lex exchanged another set of momentary glances.

"Yeah. That one area is totally clean – spotless. It's almost as if… "

Bobby's pause rippled through the room. "What?" Sam said to spur him into an answer.

"The demons are surrounding it."

"But you don't know why?"

"No. And by this point my eyes are swimming." Bobby nodded to Sam. "Sam, would you take a look at it? Maybe you could catch something I couldn't"

Sam shrugged. "Yeah. Sure."

"Come with me, Dean. I got some books in the truck. Help me lug'em in." Both Lex and Dean could hear the anger and annoyance in the old hunter's voice. There were no books in the truck. Dean was about to get his ass chewed, and they both new it.

"Yeah." Dean hesitated but followed running his hand down his chin. He knew this was bound to happen at some point. It was best to get it out of the way sooner rather than later. After all, they had a lot bigger things to deal with.

Lex stepped out of the kitchen wiping her hands off on the towel over her shoulder. "See anything?"

Sam started turning pages, flipping maps, and plotting paranormal activity. "Think you can help me?" Sam nodded to the computer. Her specialty. "Anything you can find that happened in the last twenty-four hours."

"Of course." Lex took control of the laptop and began to search all her favorite websites for information. What most people considered 'crazy-talk' Lex – like most other hunters – saw as telltale signs of demons and other dangerous beings. "Nothing. I mean besides what Bobby already found. What the hell is his plan?"

"You should know, you were right."

"About?" Lex asked not looking up from her computer.

"He only wanted one. Only one of us was supposed to make it out alive. He said he already has an army or at least he will. An army of demons. Me and the others like me – we have the power to control them. I saw Ava do it." Sam swallowed hard, almost like he didn't believe what he was about to say. "He showed me the night my mom died. He was bleeding - into my mouth. That's how he made us. Then next minute my mom came in. She knew him. I don't know how but she did."

"All so you could what...control demons? Control his army..." She said with sudden resolve. "All the demons converging on this one point… that's his army?"

Sam shrugged. "I don't know. It could be…"

"And one of you is supposed to lead said army."

"That's the basic gist."

Bobby and Dean came back into the house, empty handed. Or so Lex thought. Following at their heels was an older woman – Ellen. "Oh my god!" Lex ran over and hugged her with excitement and tears. Where Bobby was a surrogate father to the Winchesters, Ellen was almost like an Aunt to Lex. Seeing the woman alive gave Lex a small amount of hope. "You… you're alive."

"For now."

Bobby nodded to the kitchen table. "Sorry, Ellen… but…" Bobby set a shot glass down on the table before taking his seat.

Ellen followed. Sam and Dean stepped around the table. Lex fell to the exit, just in case it needed to be blocked. Each hunter was at the ready just in case. "Bobby, is this really necessary?"

"Just a belt of Holy Water. Shouldn't hurt."

The room went still as Ellen took the drink. They all waiting for something but hoped for nothing. When she set the shot down, a surge of relief crashed into the room. "Whiskey now, if you don't mind." Bobby obliged.

"Ellen, what happened? How'd you get out?" Dean asked.

"I wasn't supposed to. I was supposed to be in there with everybody else." She scoffed. "But we ran out of pretzels. Of all things. It was just dumb luck." Ellen swallowed the whiskey shot in one gulp. "Anyway, that's when Ash called. Panic in his voice." Ellen watched as Lex stepped out. For a moment she made to follow her but turned to the other's instead. "He told me to look in the safe. Then the call cut out. By the time I got back, the flames were sky-high. And everybody was dead. I could've been gone more than fifteen minutes."

"Sorry, Ellen." Sam couldn't think of anything else to say. What else was there?

Ellen's eyes filled with water. "A lot of good people died in there. And I got to live. Lucky me."

"Ellen, you mentioned a safe?" Bobby said, trying to change the subject.

"A hidden safe we keep in the basement."

"Demons get what was in it?"

Ellen smirked. "No." She pulled out a map from her back pocket and unfolded it reveling five large X's over random locations in southern Wyoming and several black lines.

Dean pointed at the map. "Wyoming. What does that mean?"

"Best we find out." Bobby pointed to the books. "Let's get to work."

Ellen excused herself and went out to see Lex sitting on the porch staring up at afternoon sun. Lex knew it was her. "I was there. He hung up because I walked in. He pushed me out of the bar just before…"

"Lexi, this isn't your fault."

Lex nodded, "I watched him burn. I tried to get to him." Lex showed her burned hand. "But I couldn't. He was my best friend, and I couldn't save him."

Ellen pulled Lex into her shoulder. "This wasn't your fault." The two sat there in desperate need of each other's company. Both lost someone close to them – a man they both loved. Ellen held Lexi like a daughter trying to comfort her, while taking comfort in her. After some time, they separated without saying a word and helped the boys with research

The other hunters were already well at work. Each one had their nose in a book or eyes shifting over computer screens.

"I don't believe it…" Bobby said putting a book down on the table next to the map.

Ellen made her way to the others. Lex, however, kept her place at the door leaning against the jam. She and Dean exchanged looks as Sam spoke. "What? You got something?"

"A lot more than that." Bobby pointed to the map. "Each of these X's is an abandoned frontier church— all mid-19th century. And all of them built by Samuel Colt."

"Samuel Colt— the demon-killing, gun-making Samuel Colt?"

Bobby nodded. "Yep. And there's more. He built private railway lines connecting church to church." Bobby noted the black lines on Ash's map. "It just happens to layout like this…" Grabbing a pen, Bobby began to draw line between each church, until it made a perfect star.

Dean's interested was finally piqued. "Tell me that's not what I think it is."

"It's a Devil's Trap. A hundred-square mile Devil's Trap." Sam answered with a smile.

"That's brilliant! Iron lines demons can't cross." Dean grabbed an old book and began to flip through the pages.

"I've never heard of anything that massive."

A couple of people glanced at Lex who answered with a head shake and a shrug.

"No one has."

"How do you know?"

Again Sam answered. "All those omens Bobby found. I mean the demons, they must be circling and they can't get in."

Bobby shrugged. "Yeah, well… they're trying."

"Why? What's inside?" Ellen asked.

"That's what I've been looking for. And, uh, there's nothing except an old cowboy cemetery right in the middle." Dean pointed to a notation he found.

"Well… what's so important about a cemetery? Or… what was Colt trying to protect?"

"Well, unless…"

"Unless what?"

"What if Colt wasn't trying to keep the demons out? What if he was trying to keep something in?"

"Now that's a comforting thought," Ellen said sarcastically.

"Yeah, you think?"

Sam's brow furrowed in thought. "Could they do it? Bobby? Could they get inside?"

Bobby shrugged, "This thing's so powerful… you'd practically need an A-Bomb to destroy it. No way a full-blood demon gets across."

"No…" Sam said staring directly at Lex. "But I know who could."

Lex pulled away from the door. "Jacob. The army." Lex had been so quiet; it was like she wasn't in the room until that moment.

"What army?" Bobby and Ellen exchanged curious looks.

"Yellow Eyes, he didn't want an army of psychic kids. He just wanted one. One to lead his army."

"An army that - and I'm willing to be all my money on it - is locked behind the largest Devils Trap this world's ever see." Lex finished. "No demon can cross, but a human can."

"And what better human than one who can control whatever's inside?" Sam continued.

"We need to get moving! Now!" Dean said grabbing every weapon within reach. "We need to make sure whatever it is doesn't get out."


	5. Chapter 5 - Freedom's Cost

Lex called Eli, who had been sitting at the airport waiting. She told him to get the next flight to Casper-Natrona County International Airport, which was just outside Glenrock and their destination. He said he could be there in four hours. In the meantime, the group readied every weapon they had, not knowing what lay inside the Devil's Trap.

Sam and Dean drove together. Ellen went with Bobby. Lex made her way to the airport and would pick up the rear to make sure nothing escaped. With weapons and a half-cocked plan, they said their goodbyes and departed.

Lex was at the airport just as Eli came out of the terminal doors. He threw his carry-on into the back and jumped into the car. "What's the plan?"

"Don't die."

"Good plan."

"I thought so. There are three roads that lead in near the South Dakota border. We're each taking one and going in." Lex nodded to the glove-compartment. "Your favorite weapon is in there. So how did the ghost hunt go?"

Eli smiled. Impending doom and his sister was starting small talk. "Good. Frat brother died last year. Apparent suicide.

"But it wasn't?"

"No. He was a pledge." Eli said as he filled the magazine with rounds. "Frat brothers took the hazing too far. Honestly, I have no desire to get into the disturbing details but he was out for revenge."

"Aren't they usually?"

Eli snapped the chamber into place. "Pretty much. Hardest part was burning the body. Some of his blood was on the concrete outside the house."

"Bet that was fun." Lex cringed at the thought. It was always hard enough to find the remains of ghosts when they were buried. "Oh! Did you have to burn the frat house down?"

Eli glared at his sister overly joyous curiosity, but he smiled. "Just the front entrance."

"Get pictures?" Lex smiled. "What?"

"Do you want to know what I learned while I was waiting for takeoff?"

Lex nodded and Eli began. When Eli mentioned a key – Lex cut him off. "We need to make this a conference call. They will need to hear this." Eli pulled out his phone and called Sam, then dialed in Ellen. "Y'all listening?" Lex got a simultaneous yes. "Go ahead Eli."

"There's a mausoleum in the very center of the cemetery. The thing's been locked for years. No one knows what's inside – because apparently it requires a key to open." Eli said. "Over the years people have tried to pick it up, smash it – even C-4 it. Not a scratch. To date, no one's been able to find the key because…" Eli smiled. "It's a very specific kind of hole - like one that fits the barrel of an old colt…"

/And Yellow Eyes has the… damn it!/ Dean said. The siblings could hear him hitting the steering wheel. /We thought he wanted the Colt because it could kill him, but it's a damned key!/

/The question is to what?/ Bobby replied.

"We don't know. It's never been opened before."

/And let's hope no one ever does./ Sam said to the group. /We just made it to the tracks. There's no sign of Jake or Yellow Eyes./

/We're about ten our from our spot./

"As are we."

/Meet you all in the middle./

* * *

Lex pulled down the dirt road until they came to an old brown station wagon abandoned in the middle of the road. Keeping her gun ready, Lex got out of the car first. Eli covered her six as she check out the car. There some food wrappers, a couple of foam coffee cups and a knife with dried blood in the front seat.

"It's Jake's." She said kicking he door. "He's already here. He may already be at the cemetery by now!"

"And we have no service to warn anyone." Eli said flipping his phone shut. "We need to get moving, quickly."

"Awesome! This is just freaking awesome." Lex was frustrated, but she was desperate to keep a cool head. There was no way to know what they were about to face. She stepped over the train tracks and pointed to the footprints leading in. "Guess we follow."

The sun started to die as they drew closer to the cemetery. Following Jake was easier than Lex liked. He wasn't trying to hide his movements in the least. She expected a military trained man being puppeted by Yellow Eyes would be better at covering his tracks. It just felt wrong. Eli seemed to feel the same because he would train his gun in the direction of every noise he heard. There was also a creep factor growing in the base of Lex's spine. With every step into the center, the sunlight died just a little quicker. After only maybe forty-five minutes, the sun was completely gone. The world felt too demonic for her taste.

A sound caught her attention. Lex knew the difference between animal paws and human feet. The sound was most certainly humanoid.

She paused. Eli followed suit. As Lex turned to meet the sound, a tall black man came out of the woods. "Jake…" Lex said training her gun on him.

Curiosity crossed his eyes. "Who the hell are you?"

"Doesn't matter. Whatever the hell he's got you doing, don't."

"You don't get it sweetheart; he's not making me do anything, not anymore." His attention turned to Eli, who had cocked the hammer back on his Glock. "Put the gun in your mouth and …"

"No!" Lex watched in horror as Eli did as he was told. She could see the fear in Eli's eyes. His hands shook trying to fight whatever control the man had over him but was unable to comply with anything except Jake's command. Lex pulled back the chamber of her own weapon, readying the bullet for semi-auto action. "If you don't stop controlling him, I'll kill you."

"Put your gun down sweetheart." Lex didn't budge.

"I would suggest you don't kill him. Not just yet, anyway." Yellow Eyes appeared behind Lex. "So you found this place after all. Aren't you a tenacious one?"

"Make him stop." Lexi demanded pulling back the hammer. "Or I'll kill the last psychic kid you have." There was silence. "Go ahead, call my bluff." Lex began to squeeze the trigger. "I only need four pounds of pressure…"

"Even though we both know the truth…" Yellow Eyes sighed. "Jakey, this young woman is sort of immune to your power. It's part of her… charm. Meaning, if you kill her beloved young brother, she will most definitely pull that trigger and you will not be able to stop her. I feel I should also mention that she's a crack shot." Yellow Eyes walked in-between the two of them.

Like an obedient dog, Jake released whatever control he had over Eli. Both he and the gun dropped to the ground. In relief, both Fields children released the air from their lungs.

"Good boy." Azazel went to Jake's side. "So what do you think?" He began as he walked around the man. "I mean he's no Sam, but I think he'll be able to win you over. He's strong, and kind of handsome – dontcha think?"

"What?"

"Tell her Jakey."

"What are you talking about?" Jake asked in utter confusion.

Azazel smiled. "You see, Lexi here, is all part of the grand design, which explains why your powers don't work on her."

Lex glared at Azazel – had he forgotten about Dominic? He was most certainly able to control her mind. Regardless of the months separating the incident, it still felt like yesterday. Though, she had no intention of saying that aloud in front of Jake.

Azazel made his way over to Lex with a malicious crack spreading from ear to ear. "Just so you know I'm the one who convinced Dominic to hand you over to the psych-ward." Lex wasn't sure if he just read her mind or … "It was easy enough taking control of his dear sweet mother and convincing him it was the best thing – for you of course."

"Why?"

"Because you were falling in love with him and I couldn't have that. Not before the rest of the story played out."

"You asshole!" Eli, being the good brother, made to defend his sister's honor. He ran at Yellow Eyes, but the demon was prepared for that. Eli's body stopped in mid-air and, with only a small flick of Azazel's wrist, was thrown into a nearby tree. Eli's body went limp as he collapsed to the ground.

"I let you live, don't let me regret it – boy."

Lex went to run to her brother's side, only to feel the power of the demon wash over her.

Azazel nodded a Jake. "Go. I'll handle her."

Lex hoped she'd bought enough time for the other's to get to the cemetery before Jake. Her eyes fell on to Azazel. The longer she could stall him the better chance the others had of taking Jake out and stopping whatever hellish plan the demon was plotting. "Why are you doing all this? Sam, the other kids, Dominic? What the hell are you getting out of all this?"

Yellow Eyes considered her for a moment. "Tell you what, I'll give you a sneak-peak into your story."

"Please do, because I'm getting sick and tired of playing your damned game."

"This isn't a game Lexi, this is your story – a story that started long before you were even born. You see all the parents I chose to have my psychic children were direct descendants of Mary."

"When you say Mary – you talking… Virgin Mary? Mother of Jesus, Mary? That Mary?"

"One in the same. How ironic it is that Sam and Dean's mommy was named after her…" The demon snorted. "You'll understand the irony of it later. Anyway, Mary was a clever young hunter – oh and yes she was a hunter – who protected her lineage by making it impossible for me or anyone for that matter to control or possess. I cannot just take what I want, I need permission; I needed them – you – to say yes; to allow me to do as I needed."

"You needed permission to bleed in their mouth? That's disgusting."

Azazel' s eyes glistened. "I knew Dean would give his life for Sam. In fact, I was counting on it – but that's for a later tale. For now, let's stick to your part."

"Okay then, explain to me why Dominic was able to alter my perception or that the demon whore was able to possess me – when I'm supposed to be immune?"

"Ah, but he didn't. If his power had worked on you, you never would have known he wasn't Sam. You were entirely in control, which allowed you to realize the truth. And the demonic possession did not affect you like it does everyone else. If it had, you would not have been able to rid the demon from your body. As soon as you realized you were possessed, you took back control."

"But Sam – if his mom was a descendent…then…"

"But he's one of mine, because his mommy gave him to me when she said yes. Which is why, you, my dear are so important. You are the only one who has ever said no to me. That made you very special in deed – but more so when John Winchester saved you… I knew, in that moment, all the work, all the preparation, all the blood – pun intended – was finally paying off."

"For what? To raise an army?"

"In part."

"Why?"

"That I can't tell you."

"If your plan is to end the world, count me out."

"Oh no – no –no – no – you misunderstand. There is no world ending – you, my dear, will be creating life. You must've felt it the moment you meant the Winchester Brothers. It was like you knew them. Like you always knew them…"

"Obviously, they look like their father and with all the stories."

"No, the feeling was far deeper, say a past life, perhaps? There was a connection the moment you saw them, before you ever knew who they were. You were in love with them." Lex swallowed hard. "Being in love with two men must be so difficult, especially brothers. Mary had the same problem."

"You're not making any sense."

"I'm making perfect sense. You just don't understand because you only know half the story – from the wrong bible. And sadly I'd have time to give you all the details. But in the end, Mary picked Joseph and because she did, she gave the world Jesus and now I have to reset the whole thing."

"Mary was a virgin."

"And you're not?" Lex blushed sparing a glance at Eli. "Don't worry, he's still out. No one but you and I need to know that little secret. Though, that plays a significant part to your story. And if you read the bible just a little bit closer, Mary wasn't a virgin parse – she was untouched by man."

"So what I'm supposed to give birth to the next Jesus Christ?"

The demon's smile broadened until he looked like The Joker. "All depends on which brother you choose."

"If I'm not mistaken, they're both men – human."

"Soon to be rectified."

"What if I…"

"Make love to someone else? Haven't you tried? How well did that turn out?"

Lex's skin crawled. She felt dirty knowing that Yellow Eyes had intimate knowledge regarding her private life. She tried, more than once, with Dominic, but each time she couldn't go through with it. There was no rhyme or reason, but she wasn't able to shake the intense notion that it was a mistake – that what she was doing was almost sinful. The worst part, Lex wasn't even religious.

"And you're thinking 'What if I pick Dean' but how do you know that Dean's off spring isn't going to end the world?" Azazel winked. "I mean, Dean committed the most heinous of sins! He sold his soul to the Devil! Dean's got a one way ticket to Hell. Did you know that every single demon was once human? Interesting, right?" Lex sucked in a deep breath. "And you're wondering if I am lying, but then you also know that we like to tell truth when it hurts more. So I'll save you the brain tickets. I'm telling the truth."

The ground beneath their feet began to quake to life. The stars and moon above died in the haze of darkness circling the Devils Trap. Thunder, lightning, black smoke, and the smell of sulfur filled the air. They were too late. Jake opened the door. Azazel released Lex from his hold. "Now. I have something very important to finish. I need you and Eli to be good and stay."

Azazel was gone.

Lex ran to her brother's side as he woke up. "Are you okay?"

Eli nodded rubbing the back of his head. A trickle of blood ran down his fingertips. "I'm going to need stitches…" He looked up to the see the smoke-filled sky. "We're too late."

"A Hell's Gate." Lex read about such doorways in story books and lore. Knowing that one actually existed was almost unbelievable – almost. "Can you stand, we need to go. Now."

Eli obliged, though his legs were wobbly. The two ran as quickly as they could into the mouth of the beast. Branches scratched at their faces. Trees blocked their paths. Smoke clouded their view. Yet, they pushed forward. They needed to get there. They needed to help. The closer they got to the center the more intense the air became.

A single gunshot broke through the chaos causing the Fields Children to pause. Somehow, they both knew it was over. Sparing only a momentary glance at each other, they quickened their pace. Getting to the cemetery was now the only thing on their mind. They pushed harder and ran faster until they reached an opening.

Jake was dead. Bobby and Ellen sat pressed against the door to Hell. Dean and Sam were standing over… Azazel.

Lex was the first to move toward them, her steps frigid with disbelief. Sam noticed her first. "Lex…"

"Is he…"

Dean nodded.

Though Bobby and Ellen were grateful for the death of Azazel, it did not compare to the sudden liberty that washed over the siblings. Sam and Dean were raised only knowing how to survive in the world full of monsters. Lex and Eli became hunters using the memory of their slaughtered family as justification. Everything they were supposed to become, all the dreams they aspired to be; died in the hands Azazel.

To these four children – a piece of their history was finally set right. To them, it marked the end of their life-long search for revenge. Their entire lives were consumed with Yellow Eyes. And though it would not make up for their lost innocence; their destroyed families, or their forgotten futures; it gave them a sense of freedom. These four people were no longer tied to the atrocities of their past – they were able to move forward without revenge pulling their motivational strings.

They were finally free.


End file.
